It’s a good thing that it wasn’t “Phil Hughes” who lost a perfect game.
Some guy you hadn’t really heard of on a who-cares franchise loses a perfect game and the local sports station is more intereted in K-Rod and weekend plans.
The national guys are in an uproar because it’s a great topic that will kill a day until the Lakers and Celtics give them something to bore us with.
If “Andy Pettitte” loses a perfecto this would be World War 3. It is good that it wasn’t…..
…because baseball is fine.
On every play there is a human making a subjective decision. Was it a strike? I’m not sure. I was leaning a little to the left. I owe you a call from that last one. You are Jeter and you took the pitch so it’s a ball, but not for you rookie it’s a strike. Hey Tom Glavine I know we have called that pitch a strike for 15 years but not today.
The guy made a bad call and he picked a bad time to do it. Then he manned up and admitted he blew it. It’s annoying, move on.
I don’t want replay in baseball. Do you ever watch a football game and think that it’s great that the ref is reviewing a play?
Baseball is slow enough without reviews.
Would there be a 5th ump who rings a bell?
What happens if SNY’s camera misses a play?
Do the managers get two coaches challenges? Can Jerry ask for a play to be reviewed to buy time for a pitcher to warm up?
As for Selig’s magic reset button scenario: say the commish decides to declare the game was over. What was that 28th batter I saw? Did that not happen? When else can Bud use his magic powers?
This was an annoying one time statistical anomaly in a sport that has played millions of innings. There’s no need to overreact. Someone blew a call on Tuesday and someone will blow a call tonight. Just like always.
I think the difference is that people could easily look at a replay of a borderline ball/strike and disagree on the call–some will think it is a strike and some will think it is a ball…and both positions could be justified. In this case, 100% of people are certain that he was out…there is no question about it…we don’t need to see a better angle…it is not up to interpretation…it is black and white.
I like the home run/foul replay stuff, and it actually enhances the game by making the quirky dimensions and layouts of MLB stadiums which make baseball unique. (When was the last time you heard of someoen going on a tour of all the NBA Arenas?)
Just food for thought (bitter food!) if we’d had instant replay even as currently constituted, the Yankees may not win in ’96, Jeter would not have had that home run, and subsequently may make different offseason roster moves that result in a different mix of players that end up not winning anything at all.
Benitez’s reputation may be completely different if that non-home run to Jeter doesn’t happen, and maybe that reputation never lands him on the Mets. worlds of difference.
You are right, baseball is fine. And it already has instant replay, which hasn’t ruined the game. It also has reversed calls after games have been completed, changing the outcome of the game. Have you forgotten the “pine tar” game?
I believe replay can be expanded without damaging the game. I do not think teams should be able to request reviews beyond the current “home run/field of play/fan interference” review process. I think umpire should be allowed, at their discretion, to review any call. This simply adds modern technology to the process they already have in place, the ability for the umpiring crew to confer to ensure a correct call has been made.
Baseball while steeped in tradition, should not be stuck to the past when using modern technology makes sense. Just as equipment, training and ticket prices have evolved, umpiring should too. I like the idea of the umps having discretion to review a call. I’m sure it can be implemented in a way so as to enhance the game, not hurt it. Replay, baby replay!
Eric how would u like to see it work?
5th umpire?
Coaches challenge?
All plays?
“big” plays? Who decides? That was a ground ball to second.
I’m OK with umpire error being part of the game, but I also don’t see any harm an extra umpire in the press box who could say, “Hold on! We need to look at this” and confirm/reverse a call.
As it is, the broadcast team already has time to show a couple of replays before the next batter settles in, and if it’s a hotly disputed call, the manager’s going to go out and argue anyway, so the “slows the game down” argument is bogus. The broadcasters look at replays and confirm or disagree with calls all the time, usually in a matter of seconds. A really tough call make a take a minute to view super-slow-mo and whatnot. The only reason the HR calls take so long is the goofy procedure they have in place. It doesn’t take 4 guys leaving the field and huddling around a TV to watch a replay.
*”any harm IN an extra umpire”
To me the harm is slowing down the game. Just play.
It took millions of innings for events to combine into the statistical oddity of that happening yesterday.
I think part of it is the game is by it’s very nature about failure most of the time. the whole “even the best hitters only get a hit 3 out of 10 times” thing. Baseball’s a very romanticized sport and the sterile nature of a guy up in the booth reviewing it takes something away from that.
It’s almost silly to police half the game and not the rest of it. I concede home run calls because they’re usually far away, and the ballparks are unique. But first base plays? What’s next? balls and strikes? Are we going to start playing the game with lasers and buzzers? (When the ball hits the glove it makes a buzz unless the sensor in the runners cleat has contacted the base to deactivate it)
You don’t even need umps. A couple of lasers could detect a ball breaking the plane, and buzz if it’s a strike.
There would be no need to ever argue anything because it’d be pointless because you’d be arguing with the wrong guy, the ‘real’ ump is up in the booth.
What about when the Phillies start cheating by figuring out where the cameras are and purposely positioning themselves to block the views when applying tags?
Hard lines for Galarraga, but he’s now a member of an even more exclusive club that the perfecto club – the ‘I lost a perfecto on batter number 27’ club. He’s member number 10.
I tend to agree….leave it alone, but I have a feeling Selig will slowly evolve this to a fifth umpire with a monitor.
As for Galarraga, it’s not in the books, but he pitched a perfect game. Years from now, his “perfect game” will be the only one most of us will recall.
I can also see Gallarraga and Joyce linked forever like Branca and Thompson (okay, maybe not exactly like Branca and Thompson) ….autographs, books signings, personal appearances…who knows?